Organisational Behaviour Assignment - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 4 Words: 1241 Downloads: 6 Date added: 2017/06/26 Category Management Essay Type Research paper Level High school Did you like this example? Organizational Behavior Contents The problems and the hypothesis discussed in the research article: The need for the study: Methodology: Students team critique: Summary and Conclusion: The problems and the hypothesis discussed in the research article: This study analyzes the style of talent management handled by institutional and corporate leaders in the context of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). The context is valuable due to the nature of the region which is under-researched and also because the type of variables found further out understanding of TM processes in non-western context. The companies involved in the business process in this region have to sustain their legal legitimacy by abiding by the localization rule, at the same time trying to improve efficiency through selective action to enhance economic sustainability. In the process the companies try to keep the balance of global adaptation and local absorption of human resource for maximum utility to be gained for TM processes. In spite of the demand of business and management scholars for more international research, the area is still fragmented and under developed and the topic still lacks proper definition. The definition of talent management as per businessdirectory .com says the attempt of an organization to recruit, retain and train the most gifted and highest quality staff members that they can find, afford and hire. Talent management gives business managers an especially important role to play in recruiting, developing and retaining desirable staff members. Researchers are doing scholarly which tends to ignore the role of contextual factors in shaping global TM practices. Researchers refer to external forces or drivers, beyond corporate control, that impact the organizational ability to manage the global TM process. For example, as per the trend of globalization of talent migration tendencies, demographic changes, and demand-supply gaps, terming these as à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“exogenous driversà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚  of global TM challenges. The identification of the barriers as per Schuler, Jackson and Tarique are as of the list given here- a) Dedication of time of senior managers related to TM search, b) Organizational structure, c) Tack of willingness to acknowledge performance variances among employed workers, d) The shortcoming of HR knowledge to address TM challenges, e) Lack of involvement of the middle managers, f) The deficiency of knowledge with application of the managers for proper execution of right decisions related to TM decisions. The above barriers or constraints are important and the strategy to overcome them is the key to successful TM strategy. Yet as the application of TM expands with its theoretical part all over the emerging markets of the world to find the best candidate for the right place, there arise some exogenous barriers or constraints which are still to be noted with the proper organizational response to cope up with them. In the context of Arab and Gulf countries under GCC the research with TM exploration shows some interesting data with the comparison of local and expatriate human resource. Out of total population, the local people contribute only 53% and as per the data, t he labor contribution of 27% of local against the total work force deployed in this region. The excellent unique derivatives of this economically strong region allure the multi-national companies with its natural resources. Right from the inception of GCC in 1981, the MNCs come is huge no. to exploit the natural resources with the excellent infrastructures provided by the countries. But the deployment of man power trend shows the dependence of expatriate in higher side causing serious imbalance problem of the local man power resulting major unemployment problem in the region. As per the Economic Intelligence Unit projection, the growth of GDP in GCC countries will reach US $ 2 trillion by 2020. To meet the growing needs of domestic human resources, GCC has a specific plan to upgrade the local HR by education to meet the demand. But this is not so easy as the plan is long-run will give result after a certain period of time. By the time the increasing demand of HR will be met by ex patriate personnel and the problem will be fiercer in case of local employment. The system of prioritizing local workforce has its own drawback as the companies canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t operate under the hypothesis that deployment of work force from any sources canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t be smooth without hurdles. The impact of nationalization policies on organizational abilities to attract, develop and retain the right talent, both local and foreign, remained understudied. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Organisational Behaviour Assignment" essay for you Create order The need for the study: The situation of conflict between the local and foreign workers is getting worst day by day. As per the need of the situation, the foreigners are getting priority for their skill and talents. The up gradation of the local people through specific education, plan system is initiated but the result is expected after long time. In this case, the proper research is necessary to understand where the system of up gradation is lacking. The class-bound education with enough practical implication will make the local people ready to meet the demand of the country. It is not admirable that one side the percentage of expatriate workers will increase and the local people sit idle without employment. Hence the proper research is to be done applicable for this region to ensure the parity in employment with the local vis-ÃÆ'  -vis foreign man power, with the objective of minimizing the foreigners by replacing them with local people with same standard as the situation arises. For this purpose the MBA students have to play a vital role with their study, research and analysis to find the right track of this program. The GCC and UAE, with their enormous requirement of man power will find one day that the work force is dominated by the foreigners and this is totally an unhealthy situation so far the employment market is concerned. To find the suitable solution of this problem, the MBA students should take active part to show the road towards future employment policies with the backup of proper enhancement of educational system in those countries. Methodology: The methodology employed in this study is hypothetical backed by data analysis. Nobody knows what will happen in future but with the best possible intellect to analyze the result of the research and thus conform the probability of success of the project of TM. There are many constraints come out with the process of research and those are to be solved with the practical application with the best possible solution which is backed by the best presence of mind. Students team critique: The research on TM is good enough with the result of future process featured. The assumptions are based on the facts and the limitations are minor. The success of this research will be seen when the proper step of evaluation of local people in the context of replacing the expatriates will be observed with the help of proper education and practical application of the theories. Summary and Conclusion: The present crisis of TM in GCC and allied countries will get critical if the same is not emphasized right now. The scope of TM in the region is bit difficult due to its nature of under studied. The research work is to be continued with further development in this area will soon find UAE and GCC countries to replace the foreign man power with high level of education, practical application and execution to the utmost demand. And thus the research work of TM in UAE and GCC will prosper with the basic objective to be fulfilled.

Diabetes A Serious And Deadly Disease - 2251 Words

Diabetes is a life risking sickness initiated abundant amounts of glucose in the blood. This illness is caused when the body is unable make insulin, which can be found in the pancreas. Insulin is a hormone that controls the level of a person’s blood. Diabetes disturbs the way a person’s body uses blood sugar. Diabetes has took many lives in the Delta and the rate is surprisingly increases over the years. The Delta has many diabetes patients, more than one can imagine. Most patients in the Delta are dumbfounded when it comes to the symptom and causes of this particular disease. Diabetes has several symptoms such as repeated urination, extreme thirst, bigger appetite, and weight loss. It also affects people s lives and their family, and†¦show more content†¦Two hundred and ninety-three adults in the Delta region died from type II diabetes. 12.1% of adults in the Delta region reported being diagnosed with type II diabetes† (System). Over the past years, case s of both Type I and Type II Diabetes have increased exponentially due to food production companies. The government needs have some regulations on the practice of fast food companies to ensure a healthier and less risky life of people. Diabetes comes in two types, type one and two. Type one diabetes is normally called â€Å"Juvenile Diabetes†. According to The Mayo Foundation for Medical Education, â€Å"Type 1 diabetes was formerly called juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, because seventy percent of diagnoses occur before a person reaches the age of 30. However, it can be diagnosed at any age. Only 5 percent to 10 percent of those diagnosed with diabetes have this type. With type 1 diabetes, the pancreas produces little to no insulin† (Davidson). A person may have to take insulin multiple times a day depending on if the appropriate foods are consumed. If a person is to consume the wrong types of food with too much sugar, it would cause their blood level to increasing which would require the injection of insulin. â€Å"Type I Diabetes is one of the most common chronic disorders of childhood. Unfortunately, it is increasing in incidence, particularly in young children. The reason for this is unknown,

Theories of Foreign Direct Investment Free Essays

Theories of Foreign Direct Investment Foreign Direct Investment, or FDI, is a type of investment that involves the injection of foreign funds into an enterprise that operates in a different country of origin from the investor. Foreign direct investment has many forms. Broadly, foreign direct investment includes â€Å"mergers and acquisitions, building new facilities, reinvesting profits earned from overseas operations and intracompany loans†. We will write a custom essay sample on Theories of Foreign Direct Investment or any similar topic only for you Order Now Foreign direct investment incentives may take the following forms: †¢ low  corporate tax  and individual  income tax  rates †¢ tax holidays †¢ other types of tax concessions preferential  tariffs †¢ special economic zones †¢ EPZ  Ã¢â‚¬â€œ Export Processing Zones †¢ Bonded Warehouses †¢ Maquiladoras †¢ investment financial subsidies †¢ soft loan  or loan guarantees †¢ free land or land subsidies †¢ relocation expatriation †¢ infrastructure subsidies †¢ RD support †¢ derogation from regulations Once firms have decided to enter a foreign market, they have to choose the best mode of entry. Firms can use six different modes to enter foreign markets: 1. Exporting, being a temporary strategy is like a stepping stone in the international expansion process for most firms. In the past, Seagate was a well know example which concentrated its manufacturing operations in one location enables it to move down the experience curve and achieve location economies. 2. Turnkey projects, are popular because firms can continue with normal business operations while the contractor handle the time consuming and resource intensive projects for a foreign client. Singapore shipyard is reputable for handling sophisticated turnkey projects regardless of is complex requirements and other considerations. This industry is well known in the economic development for the last 40 years and will continue to play the critical role in our economy in order to achieve the goal for Singapore to become a leading international maritime link. Another example would be Sitra Holdings (International) Limited, the international producer of integrated wood based products and turnkey services, secured several turnkey design and build contracts in November 2009. Amongst these contracts, the single largest contract is worth S$3. 24 million at the Marina Bay precinct. 3. Licensing, enables a firm to gain access into new markets otherwise inaccessible, hence to facilitate the growth of licensing activities in Singapore with additional focus on brand licensing, character licensing and know-how licensing, the Franchising and Licensing Association (FLA) aims to encourage the adoption of licensing as a growth strategy by producing a report to raise the awareness of how licensing can translate to income stream for companies. 4. Franchising, in Singapore has grown tremendously and is a preferred strategy for SMEs, as it involves minimal investment and staff, thus reducing costs. Local entrepreneurs have successfully made their mark internationally through franchising like BreadTalk, Charles Keith, and OSIM. Larger companies can also make use of the networks of their established franchise partners to grow globally. 5. Joint ventures enable firms to share the benefit of the work process from a local subsidiary’s knowledge of the host country such as the competitors, culture, political and business systems and access to greater resources including staff specialized in technology, finance, and so on. In November 2009, QATARQatar Petroleum International (QPI) and Shell Eastern Petroleum Pte Ltd have sealed agreements in which QPI takes stakes in two Shell Chemicals joint ventures in Singapore. The deal, to be completed in December, Shell will sell its existing shareholdings in two companies to a new joint venture called QPI and Shell Petrochemicals (Singapore) Pte Ltd. 6. Establishing new wholly owned subsidiaries would be best adopted by firms pursuing the global and transnational strategies, for instance, Temasek Holdings (Private) Limited invested approximately S$900 million in Fraser Neave Limited (â€Å"FN†) through its wholly-owned subsidiary Seletar Investments Pte Ltd1 in December 2006. The investment would represent approximately 15 % of the total shares outstanding of F on a fully-diluted basis. This investment marks Temasek’s most substantial investment in the food and beverage space in recent years. Temasek Holdings Limited (2006)   Country Focus – political economy and cultural factors of Singapore Political and economic systems of Singapore The Government of Singapore (GOS) is substantially consigned to maintaining an open economy and taking a leadership role strategize Singapore’s future economic development. The government does that by adopting a free enterprise, open door policy to attract foreign investors from all types of services sector involving finance, business, tourism, telecommunication and consultancy services. As such, Singapore has exports hitting 186% of 2008 GDP. While Singapore’s stock of foreign direct investment (FDI) increased by 23. 4% from $370. 5 billion in 2006 to $457. 0 billion in 2007. United States, Netherlands, United Kingdom, and Japan were the top sources of FDI in Singapore. Evidently, the high FDI index reflects Singapore’s role as a manufacturing base for foreign multinationals (MNCs) and as a financial, transportation, logistics, and trading hub. Also, with high real growth rate and low inflation played a great role in shaping the Singapore economy. Singapore is one of the most enterprising and dynamic economies in the world. In this section, we compare Singapore’s recent trade performance with its performance in past crises, namely the 1997-1998 Asian Financial Crisis where many countries and industries were affected by the deep fall of exports during the recession and the 2001-2002 Dot-Com Bust where IT industries around the world were affected by the large scale cancellation of electronic orders due to the over-investments by IT firms. In 2008 till present, Singapore is experiencing a slow down in the economy due to the US subprime crisis. The main issue is that the US Subprime Market is generating an extension of recessions in some economies and accelerating global recession in a way. Thus, Singapore’s total output of the country has decreased and the export of electronics goods has reduced significantly. Background to Singapore’s FDI strategy Singapore’s assertive efforts to attain FDI for more support of its economic strategy have enabled the country to develop into a basis for multinational corporations (MNCs). Singapore’s investment promotion agency, the Economic Development Board (EDB), focuses on obtaining major investments in highly valued services and/or manufacturing activities, deepening its industrial and export structure, using selective interventions to capture cross-industry externalities and move away from labour intensive to capital-skill and technology-intensive activities, by acquiring and upgrading the modern technologies in highly internalized forms. From Ijaz Nabi and Manjula Luthria. (2002). This strategy allowed the country to concentrate in specific phases in the production process, depriving from the flow of innovation and investing lesser in its own innovative effort. Singapore’s FDI policies were based on liberal entry and ownership conditions, easy access to expatriate skills and generous incentives for the activities that it was seeking to promote. The EDB was mainly set up to synchronize policy, offer incentives to lead foreign investors into targeted activities, acquire and construct industrial estates to attract MNCs. The public sector played an important role in launching and promoting activities selected by the government, acting as a catalyst to private investment or entering areas. Often it was the efficiency, effectiveness and flexibility of government response that gave Singapore the edge over competing host countries. The importance of inward FDI to Singapore FDI has played a crucial role through the years in accelerating the economic development in Singapore. Being a small country with no natural resources, Singapore had depended on leading international companies not only in bringing in capital funds to broaden her economic base, but also in upgrading the technology and skill content of her industries. Since FDI is one way that Singapore can tap foreign technology, therefore a substantial amount of capital is required to help generate GDP. Furthermore, exchange rate will also play a role in determining GDP. A slow appreciation of the currency will increase the confidence of those who are investing in Singapore and help to attract more investment. The Singapore dollar appreciation will also curb imported inflation. The importance of FDI in Singapore is reflected in the country’s ratio of inward FDI stock to GDP: at 72%, the ratio is the highest in the world. From Wendy Dobson Chia Siow Yue (1997). That importance is also reflected in the fact that 90% of value added in Singapore’s electronics industry (remarkable growth in exports and income) is accounted for by foreign investors, and that FDI accounts for fully two-thirds of equity capital in the country’s manufacturing sector. From Wendy Dobson Chia Siow Yue (1997). In addition, Singapore’s productivity increased fastest in those industries in which FDI was concentrated. The rank correlation coefficients between increases in value added per worker and increases in FDI share and FDI level were . 2 and . 45. Moreover, because foreign direct investors’ profits and outward remittances have tended to move in close tandem with the general performance of Singapore’s economy and the health of its balance of payments, while the economic risk taking function is also borne by those investors, time and again Singapore’s exceptional reliance on FDI has ef fectively cushioned its economy from the balance of payments and debt crises that have hurt many other developing economies. David M, Marchick Matthew J. Slaughter (2008) Host Country policies FDI is attracted to Singapore mainly due to Singapore’s favourable investment climate and strategic geographical location. Some other reasons include non-fiscal advantages, Singapore’s small domestic market combined with no tariffs on most imports and low corporate tax rates have made Singapore into a popular low-risk high-return FDI destination. In general, corporate taxes, or taxes imposed on corporate income, is an important determinant of MNCs’ location decisions, just as individual income tax rates is an important determinant of where a person decides to work and live. Theoretically, other things equal, MNCs would prefer countries with lower corporate tax rates over countries with higher rates. Furthermore, a wide range of new incentives have been added over the years to promote FDI inflows. Burdensome regulations and performance requirements for FDI can offset a generous package of tax incentives. However, in Singapore’s case, the restrictions and regulations governing both the entry and operation of foreign enterprises and personnel are minimal. Overall, foreign investors are subject to the same government regulations as local investors, and both have a lot of freedom in pursuing their profit objectives. In addition to the general absence of performance requirements, Singapore has also signed a large number of avoidance of double taxation agreements, which mutually protect countries for a specific time against war and non-commercial risks of expropriation and nationalization. The four areas of Singapore’s government regulations in different areas relevant to foreign investors are the foreign exchange regime, equity ownership, performance requirements and human resources. First, the foreign exchange regime is highly liberal and freely allows repatriation of capital and remittance of profits, dividends, interests, royalty payments and technical licensing fees, as well as the free importation of goods and services for consumption, investment and production purposes. Second, foreign participation is permitted in most sectors of the economy except for some limitations in the monetary sector, areas of trained and skilled personnel. However, 100% foreign equity ownership is readily permitted. Third, there are no performance requirements for foreign investors such as domestic value-added content and local sourcing of inputs, no restrictions on borrowing from the domestic capital market, and no regulations and restrictions governing the transfer of technology. Fourth, there are only minimal restrictions on the recruitment of foreign personnel; employment passes are required but the government issues these quite liberally. However, the government does encourage foreign companies to hire local managerial and technical personnel. Singapore’s non-fiscal advantages for foreign investors include strategic location, physical and financial infrastructure, human resources, political and social stability, good governance and a foreign investment policy that is liberal, comprehensive and well co-ordinated. Singapore’s location astride major sea and air routes and in the heart of Southeast Asia – an economically dynamic region rich in natural resources – gives it a significant locational advantage in trade and investment. Singapore’s highly liberal trade regime has further reinforced its natural locational advantage and turned it into Southeast Asia’s undisputed trade hub, which, in turn, facilitates the export and import activities of foreign firms locating in Singapore. In addition, Singapore’s time zone advantage, straddling East Asia and Western Europe, enables its financial markets and institutions to perform transactions with Japan, Europe and the US within its working hours. Singapore had reinforced and exploited its strategic geographical location through large investments in physical infrastructure. Comprehensive air and sea transport and telecommunications link the city-state with the rest of the world. The domestic land transportation network is also well-developed and efficiently connects the airport and sea port to the business and financial districts. Singapore’s airport and sea port are world-class facilities that are consistently ranked as among the best in the world. Its advanced telecommunications infrastructure facilitates business transactions with the outside world. Singapore has achieved world-class status in information and communications technology (ICT), while the government has ensured a reliable supply of power and water. Charles Oman (2000)   Industrial estates, business parks and science parks provide ready access to land and factory/office space and industrial, commercial and research facilities and amenities -reduces the capital investment requirements of foreign investors, enables quick start-ups, and promotes external economies of industrial clustering. Singapore is a major Asia-Pacific financial centre, and its well-developed financial markets, large inflows of capital, and abundance of national savings all contribute to the low cost of capital. Charles Oman (2000) . The government’s human resource policy focuses on improving the productivity of the labour force through education and training. Singapore has adopted one of the most liberal immigration regimes in the world in order to expand its quantity as well as enhancing its quality. In terms of education, the government emphasizes technical and vocational education below tertiary level to provide a growing pool of technically competent workers, along with rapid expansion of engineering, business and computer science education at the tertiary level. Women were also encouraged to enter the workforce in a bid to boost the female labour force participation rate. Another major selling point of Singapore for foreign investors is its well-known socio-political stability and good governance. Its political background is well-secured and there is no history of incidents concerning politically motivated damage to foreign investments in Singapore. Not to mention that Singapore ranks as one of the least corrupt country in the world. Singapore has, and dynamically enforced, strong and solid anti-corruption laws. Political stability and an honest and effective political leadership and government have always been key elements in Singapore’s favourable business environment. A pro-business government policy environment and high-quality civil service complements Singapore’s excellent infrastructure and public capital. A remuneration system of paying relatively high salaries to civil servants attracts a constant stream of talented individuals to work for the government. World-class infrastructure and world-class government combine to offer a highly favourable environment for doing business. Singapore is consistently ranked among the most competitive countries in the world terms of providing a sound business environment. According to the World Competitiveness Yearbook (WCY) 2005 by the Institute for Management Development (IMD), which ranks nations’ business environments by analyzing their ability to provide an environment in which enterprises can compete effectively, in 2005 Singapore ranked 3rd among the sample of 60 major industrialized and emerging economies. The FDI has increased and better enhanced the quality of Singapore’s entrepreneurial, managerial, marketing, technological and manpower resources. FDI had significantly contributed to higher exports and economic growth. However, further investigation also suggests that continuing large inflows of FDI may not be fully absorbed by the economy due to the scarcity of land and shortage of labour. This may lead to crowding out of domestic entrepreneurs. In order to overcome this problem, more domestic entrepreneurs are needed to emerge and invest outward so as to reduce the reliance on FDI. The outcomes of Singapore’s strategies at attracting inward FDI Recent FDI Since 2003, one of the most active sectors in attracting FDI is the chemical sector. Through its subsidiary Faci Asia Pacific Private Ltd. , Faci SpA, has invested approximately US$5 million in a second metal stearate plant on Jurong Island, Singapore’s chemical complex. And in 2006, GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has developed a special relationship with the country, opening a number of ventures, with its investment in an antibiotics plant in the Tuas Biomedical Park. Not to mention, the Integrated Resorts have unnoticeably boost the foreign investments scene in Singapore and the many efforts made by the government to attract and sustain FDI such as, the revamping of Orchard Road for reportedly $40 million and establishing of the Circle line to facilitate travelling which completes just in time for the Youth Olympic games in 2010. Conclusion For Singapore to attract and sustain FDI in all aspects, the structure that supports innovative activities must be further reinforced such as increasing research ability in public and private sectors, the availability of skilled human resources, policies to strengthen RD infrastructure and so on, so as to foster innovation and local development. Although Singapore’s education system and its no tariffs on most imports and low corporate rates are its main elements of attraction, there is always room for improvement. Summing up, the study of the strategies adopted by Singapore to attract inward FDI, the challenges that occurred, results and future directions were critically analyzed and supported with references and findings. Although Singapore is a very attractive destination of FDI, it still has a few areas where improvements can be made in order to maximise economic growth, profits and strategic development. So long as Singapore keep up with trends in the shift towards services, develop cross cultural literacy to avoid being ill informed, sustain its competitive advantage, ensure accessibility of government information to foreign investors and continue to invest in the up and coming, biotechnology industries, it will continue to prosper. REFERENCES: Ijaz Nabi and Manjula Luthria. (2002) Building competitive firms, incentives and capabilities, Washington, DC, The World Bank. Wendy Dobson Chia Siow Yue (1997) Multinationals and east Asian integration, Canada Singapore, International Development Research Centre. David M, Marchick Matthew J. Slaughter (2008) Global FDI Policy, correcting a protectionist drift, USA, Council on foreign relations. Temasek Holdings Limited (2006) announces investments in Fraser Neave Limited URL:http://www. temasekholdings. com. sg/media_centre_news_releases_081206. htm Charles Oman (2000) Development centre studies, Policy competition for foreign direct investment, A study of competition among governments to attract FDI, USA, OECD. Abraham A. Azubuike. (2006) Accessibility of Government Information as a Determinant of Inward Foreign Direct Investment in Africa, ECA Library, United Nations Economic Commission for Africa Addis Ababa, Ethiopia URL:http://ifla. queenslibrary. org/IV/ifla72/papers/100-Azubuike-en. pdf SPRING, franchising and licensing association (Singapore). URL:http://www. spring. gov. sg/EnterpriseIndustry/LEAD/Pages/lead-fla. aspx WINDS, Multilateral Agreement on Investment, URL:http://www. apfn. org/THEWINDS/archive/economy/mai11-97. html How to cite Theories of Foreign Direct Investment, Essay examples

Game Theory Wireless and Communication Networks

Question: Discuss about theGame Theoryfor Wireless and Communication Networks. Answer: Part B The game is being played by two people James Dean and Buzz Gunderson. The first person is declared as chicken and the last person is a hero. The objective of two people is to get the favour of Judy. In order to play the game, they have to take life risk. The payoff matrix shows the outcome of each strategy taken by James and Buzz. If James chooses to be chicken, Buzz will choose to be rooster as will give higher payoff (50,100). The person jumps later from the car, will be the hero. If both of them choose to get out of the car at the same time, they will get the equal payoff of (70, 70). If nobody comes out of the car, both of them will be loser to get (0,0) and life will be in danger. A strategy is become dominant, when a player chooses a strategy every time, irrespective of what the opponent chooses. A player has always the highest payoff or utility from the dominant strategy compared to any other strategy (Myerson 2013). At the start of the game, both think to be a hero in order to get favour of Judy and to get the highest payoff of 100. If James chooses to be chicken, he is better off if Buzz is also choosing chicken. If James chooses to be rooster, his payoff will be the maximum if Buzz chooses to be chicken. Chicken is the dominant strategy for both the player as (70, 70) is the optimum strategy for both of them. This is the weakly dominant strategy as for other options, there is risk of losing. (70, 70) is as good as any other strategy. This strategy is not strictly dominant; there is an internal desire of being a hero making the opponent fool. (50,100) and (100, 50) are therefore dominated strategy. Buzz Chicken Rooster James Chicken 70 , 70 50 , 100 Rooster 100 , 50 0 , 0 The above payoff matrix shows the outcome of different strategies. As (70, 70) is the dominant strategy, other strategies are dominated strategy. Choosing Rooster is the dominated strategy for both James and Buzz. As (70, 70) is the dominant strategy for both of them, Buzz assumes that James never plays Rooster and the Buzz also thinks the same. Therefore, from the view point of James, the payoff matrix will be Buzz Chicken Rooster James Chicken 70 , 70 50 , 100 James also thinks that Buzz will never wish to become rooster, as there is life risk. The payoff matrix from the view point of Bazz is Buzz Chicken James Chicken 70 , 70 Rooster 100 , 50 Given opponents expected payoff, both are likely to maximise their own payoff, which is at least as good as other payoffs. Hence, both are likely to choose to be a chiken and will end up to (70, 70) outcome. This is the outcome in the elimination process of dominance. As there is a life risk and both James and Buzz feel the endangered at the same time, they choose to be the chicken before plunge to the rocks. Hence, the optimum outcome would be (70, 70). This is the weak dominance strategy. If James chooses chicken, there is a fear that Buzz may choose rooster. As there is no negotiation between them, everyone thinks about the worst situation of getting nothing. Hence, both want to minimise their risks. Therefore, (70, 70) is the optimum strategy for both James and Buzz. This is the pure strategy Nash equilibrium of this game as this more likely to happen compared to other strategy. The game is played through maxi-min strategy. Everybody wants to maximise the payoff among the minimum as the payoff matrix is the combination of both good and bad outcome. In the view of Colman (2014), this is the low risk strategy. The logic behind this game is to get something instead of nothing. Therefore, the minimum expected payoff from both the player is the optimum outcome as the game strategy is risk reduction. In this game, it is better to save life instead of getting favour of Judy. One-Shot Simultaneous Game Firm 1 has three options, while firm2 has only two options. There is no dominant strategy for any of the firm. From the view point of firm 1, it chooses offer discount if firm2 chooses advertising campaign. If firm2 does nothing, advertising campaign is the optimal strategy for firm1. Now, from the view point of firm2, it chooses advertising campaign if firm1 does advertising or offer discount. However, its strategy changes if firm 1 does nothing. Doing nothing would give firm2 the higher payoff. No firm has strictly dominant strategy. Do nothing is the dominated strategy for firm1. The dominated strategy for firm1 is (0,0) and (3,5). Do nothing is the dominated matrix of firm2. For both the firms, this is the weakly dominated strategy as no one has strongly dominant strategy. The payoff matrix of by dominance is Firm 2 Advertising campaign Firm 1 Advertising campaign 1,2 Offer discounts 2,2 Firm2 has only option of advertising campaign, while firm1 has two options such as advertising and offer discounting. Given this framework, firm1 chooses offer discount to maximise its payoff. Hence, (2, 2) is the equilibrium outcome by dominance. If firm2 chooses advertising campaign, firm1 tries to maximise its outcome by choosing offer discount. If firm2 chooses do nothing, firm1 chooses advertising. When, firm1 chooses advertising or offer discount, firm2 chooses advertising. When firm1 chooses do nothing, firm2 will do nothing. The pure strategy Nash equilibria are (2, 2), (4, 1) (1, 2), (3, 5). Outcomes in (a) and (c) differs as the first one is based on pure Nash equilibrium strategy. The second one is based on the elimination of dominated strategy. Two methods are different. In the first case, the player considers all the strategy of the opponents and plays the game. In the second case, the dominated strategy is completely ignored by the player. Financial Literacy Summary of the Video The central idea of the video is risk diversification. It has been argued that people should not investment all the money in a single stock of a company or in a single share. If the company loses for any financial crisis or downfall in business, all the shareholders lose at the same time as they share both the profit and loss. Hence, the right way to diversify the risk is to put the savings in a portfolio, which consists of both risk free and risky assets and shares of different companies (Dresher, Shapley and Tucker 2016). It has been argued that investment in human capital, education is necessary to have a better life in future. However, more saving and less spending has negative effect on the economy in short run (Aumann and Brandenburger 2016). This is termed as paradox of thrift. Hence, people need to balance between saving and investment and need to choose right investment strategy to shape their life. The interesting topic in this video is paradox of thrift. As per general saving investment theory in long run, all savings are assumed to be invested. However, in much economy in Europe, it has seen that GDP has fallen despite having high saving rate (Han 2012). When people save more, they reduce their consumption expenditure. Therefore, aggregate demand falls in the economy. Excess supply creates in the market in the short run and hence, aggregate supply reduces and investment in the economy falls. Therefore, it is argued that excessive saving is not beneficial for the economy. Is paradox of thrift can sustain in long run? References Myerson, R.B., 2013.Game theory. Harvard university press. Colman, A.M., 2014.Game theory and experimental games: The study of strategic interaction(Vol. 4). Elsevier. Dresher, M., Shapley, L.S. and Tucker, A.W. eds., 2016.Advances in Game Theory.(AM-52)(Vol. 52). Princeton University Press. Han, Z., 2012.Game theory in wireless and communication networks: theory, models, and applications. Cambridge University Press. Aumann, R.J. and Brandenburger, A., 2016. Epistemic conditions for Nash equilibrium. InReadings in Formal Epistemology(pp. 863-894). Springer International Publishing.

101 Lesson and Quoting Professor Ramos Blog

101 Lesson and Quoting Quick Write Quick Write What should the reader take away after reading your narrative? Why is it important? Why does it matter? So What? Making the Point Clear An important aspect of writing is making sure that your point is clear. Even in these narratives where we are exploring ourselves. You want the reader to know the lesson or point you learned from reflecting and writing. Here are some questions to consider when concluding your narrative: What did you learn about diversity? How have others helped you? What should the reader take away after reading this? Why does this matter? The narrative helps us to understand how diversity affects us. Make sure the lesson or point is clear to your reader. We are going to publish this online for the benefit of others. Think about your audience and how you can help them to learn something from your experience. The Other Side is Not Dumb We read  SEAN BLANDA, â€Å"The â€Å"Other Side† Is Not Dumb†Ã‚  p.212 for today. Take two minutes and write down what stood out to you. Look for a quote that you find interesting or important. We should all enter every issue with the very real possibility that  we might be wrong this time. . . Isn’t it possible that we’re not right about everything? That those who live in places not where you live, watch shows that you don’t watch, and read books that you don’t read, have opinions and belief systems just as valid as yours? That maybe you don’t see the entire picture? The Art of Quoting Chapter 3, introduces us to the art of quoting. It warns that quoting too little or too much can hurt an argument. It is very important to frame all quotations. According to the book, what is the purpose of a citation? When is the use of a citation appropriate? The article warns about quoting too little or quoting too much. Do not assume the quotations speak for themselves. Two key ways to integrate quotations that you need to keep in mind. Choose quotations wisely Surround quotations in a frame, Quotation Sandwich Quotation Sandwich Introduce the quotation p. 46 Quote, relevant Explain Quotation p. 47 Claims China  is the largest nation in the world. A McDonald’s  Big Mac ®Ã‚  has 550 calories. Why do these need support? Where can you find it? Practice Use a quote from the article in a quotation sandwich.

ACT vs. TOEFL What to Know About Each Test

ACT vs. TOEFL What to Know About Each Test SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips If you’re an international student or non-native English speaker applying to college in the United States, then this guide is for you! To get into college, you’ll likely have to take two admissions tests: the TOEFL and the ACT. This guide is specifically geared toward students interested in taking the TOEFL and ACT (if you’re taking the SAT, then check out this guide instead!). Read on to learn what colleges require, how the TOEFL and ACT compare, and what you can do to prepare for both. What Tests Do Colleges Require? U.S. colleges require two tests for admission from non-native English speakers. One is the TOEFL, which demonstrates your English language skills. The other is the ACT, which demonstrates your reasoning and problem-solving skills. It’s important to note that you always have options. Instead of the TOEFL, you could take the IELTS, and instead of the ACT, you could take the SAT. This guide, as mentioned above, is focused on the TOEFL and ACT. Colleges vary in their policies, and some will waive the TOEFL if you’ve taken English classes throughout high school or achieved a certain score on the English and Reading sections of the ACT. Before you take any unnecessary tests, make sure you understand college requirements. Read on for advice on where to find admission test requirements. How to Find Colleges’ Testing Requirements If you’re a non-native English speaker applying to college, chances are that you’ll take both the TOEFL and the ACT. Colleges vary in their policies, though, so you should do your research before registering for any tests. Typically, you’ll find the information you need on the admissions section of a college’s official website. More specifically, you should go to the section for international applicants. Even if you’re a U.S. citizen, this international applicant section is usually where colleges publicize their TOEFL policies. To give you one example, let’s say you go to Boston University’s page for â€Å"Freshman Applicants - International.† There you’ll find this message: â€Å"BU requires the SAT or ACT with writing. The TOEFL or IELTS is also required if your first language or the primary language spoken in your home is not English.† On BU’s website, you see that you’ll need to take both the ACT and the TOEFL. If you go to a college’s website and can’t find these details, you should definitely contact the admissions office via phone or email. Whether you’re researching a college’s website or talking to its admissions office directly, you should askthree main questions. 1. Which Tests Are Required? First, you need to research the admissions testing requirements of your school. What tests do they want to see from non-native English speakers? Do they require the ACT, or are they a test-optional or test-flexible school that will let you send AP scores instead? Don’t assume that all colleges are the same. They might all have different policies! Check the requirements of each college that you’re interested in individually. 2. DoYouRequire a Minimum TOEFL Score? Many schools require a minimum TOEFL score from applicants. ATOEFL cutoff is an essential piece of information. Even if the rest of your application’s great, it won’t matter if you don’t have the requisite TOEFL score. To give a few examples, Northeastern and UMass Boston want to see at least a 79 to 80 on the TOEFL iBT. More selective schools, like NYU, American University, and Harvard, want to see at least 100. As you research colleges of interest, find out if they post a TOEFL cutoff, again by visiting the website or calling up the admissions office. Then set your target TOEFL score at least ten points higher than the minimum to present yourself as a competitive candidate. 3. Will You Waive the TOEFL If I Get High VerbalScores on the ACT? Finally, the last piece of information you should seek is whether there are any circumstances when a college waives its TOEFL requirement. There are some schools that will consider a high score on the ACT English and Reading sections sufficient evidence of your English language skills. Since these sections test your reading comprehension and grammar skills, they can sometimes act as a stand-in for TOEFL scores. Columbia, for example, will waive the TOEFL requirement if you score a 29 on the verbal sections of the ACT. Johns Hopkins eliminates its TOEFL requirement if you score a 30 on ACT English and Reading. You might notice that some schools publicize an SAT minimum, but not an ACT minimum in relation to the TOEFL. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they won’t waive the TOEFL with a certain ACT score; it just reflects the fact that the SAT was a more popular test with international applicants in past years (and that colleges don’t update their websites often enough!). If you see that a college of interest posted an SAT cutoff but not an ACT one, definitely give the admissions office a call to ask about this. Since colleges accept the SAT and ACT equally, they should have a similar policy for both tests. Once you’ve figured out all the answers to all of these questions (whether or not a school requires the TOEFL, if it calls for a minimum score, and if it waives the TOEFL in the case of high ACT verbal scores), then you can go on to plan your test dates and prep schedule. Read on to learn more about both admissions tests, starting with the TOEFL. Throw on your thinkingcap. It's time to learn about both tests. TOEFL and ACT: Learn About Both Tests If you’re taking the TOEFL and ACT to apply to college, then your first step in preparing should be learning about both tests. Below you’ll find an overview of each in terms of its structure and skills tested. While the two tests have some overlap, they’re largely unique exams that require their own individual approach. Let’s start with the TOEFL and go over its structure and content, along with tips onhow to prepare. TOEFL: Structure, Content, and Prep The TOEFL is a test of your English language skills. Most students will take the TOEFL iBT, or internet-based test, on the computer. The score range for the TOEFL iBT is from 0 to 120. A few countries offer it on paper. The TOEFL PBT, or paper-based test, has a score range from 310 to 677. Regardless of the test type, it will contain four main sections: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing. Below is the full structure of the test. TOEFL Structure The TOEFL tests the four main skill areas of English language: Reading, Listening, Speaking, and Writing, in that order. The length of the first two sections, Reading and Listening, actually varies depending on whether or not you get extra experimental questions. These extra questions won’t be scored, but you won’t know which ones they are, so you’ll have to treat every question equally. This chart shows the length of the TOEFL sections, along with a brief description of the tasks in each. Order Section Time Limit Questions Tasks 1 Reading 60–80 minutes 36–56 questions Read 3 or 4 passages from academic texts and answer questions. 2 Listening 60–90 minutes 34–51 questions Listen to lectures, classroom discussions and conversations, then answer questions. Break 10 minutes - - 3 Speaking 20 minutes 6 tasks Express an opinion on a familiar topic; speak based on reading and listening tasks. 4 Writing 50 minutes 2 tasks Write essay responses based on reading and listening tasks; support an opinion in writing. Total: 3 hours, 20 min - 4 hours, 10 min (break included) Each section is scored between 0 and 30 points. Your total score is the sum of your section scores, so the maximum possible score is 120. While the chart has a brief description of tasks in each section, let’s take a closer look at the content in each, along with a few official sample questions! TOEFL Content As you read above, the TOEFL tests your English language across four main skill areas. You’ll find that some sections integrate more than one skill. For instance, the Speaking section features a reading and a listening task. Let’s delve into each section in the same order that they appear on the test, starting with Reading. TOEFL Reading The Reading section of the TOEFL features three to four short passages, most of which are taken from college-level textbooks. The passages may be expository, argument-based, or historical; you won’t find any fictional prose. Each passage is followed by questions about elements like the main point, key details, relationships between ideas, and vocabulary. The questions fall into three types: multiple choice, sentence insertions, and Reading to Learn questions. The multiple choice tend to be straightforward reading comprehension questions, about you about the meaning of a passage or details or vocabulary words within it. Here are two examples that refer to a preceding passage (not pictured here). The first example question asks about a vocabulary word, while the second asks you to make an inference. The word â€Å"perspective† on line 46 is closest in meaning to sense of values point of view calculation complication Which of the following can be inferred from paragraph 3 about the location of the meteorite impact in Mexico? The location of the impact site in Mexico was kept secret by geologists from 1980 to 1990. It was a well-known fact that the impact had occurred in the Yucatn region. Geologists knew that there had been an impact before they knew where it had occurred. The Yucatn region was chosen by geologists as the most probable impact site because of its climate. The second question type, sentence insertions, ask you to add a sentence to a paragraph and indicate where it would fit best. Your goal is to clarify the meaning or organization of the selected passage. Reading to Learn questions are the most involved of the three types. They ask you to sort given information into a chart. You might place it into certain categories or put it in chronological order. Since these questions are multi-part, they may grant partial credit. Once you learn about the ACT, you’ll notice some similarities between the TOEFL Reading and ACT Reading and English. Reading comprehension questions are similar, and the sentence insertions resemble similar questions on the ACT English section. The next section on the TOEFL, though, is completely unique, as you’ll see below. Listening's next, you say? I'm all ears. TOEFL Listening As its name indicates, this section is meant to measure your listening comprehension of the English language. You’ll listen to selections from academic lectures or conversations. The conversations usually take place between students or between a professor or coach and a student. You can take notes throughout listening to the recordings. Then you’ll answer questions about what you heard. Multiple choice questions, like those in the Reading section, ask about main points, key details, vocabulary words, and cause and effect. You’ll also get a few questions that ask you to list events in order. Here are a couple examples of Listening section questions that are based on a conversation between a player and a coach. Who is buying new jackets for the team? The coach The captain of the team A former player A group of basketball fans There are two answers for the next question. Mark two answers. Why is the woman surprised to learn that she has been chosen as the new team captain? She is not the best player on the team. Her teammates did not tell her about the decision. She does not have many friends on the team. She has missed a lot of practices. Note that the second example asks you to mark two answers, meaning you need to pay attention to directions when answering each question type. After the Reading and Listening sections, you’ll get a ten-minute break to stretch and reenergize. Then it’s on to the Speaking section. TOEFL Speaking This section will get you talking. While the other sections are focused on your receptive skills, this one’s aimed at your productive skills. You’ll record your oral responses onthe computer. This section contains two independent speaking tasks and four integrated speaking tasks. Independent speaking tasks ask you to speak for 45 seconds on a familiar topic. Here, you can talk about your own ideas, opinions, observations, or experiences. You’ll have 15 seconds to prepare your answer. The following is an example of an independent speaking task: Independent speaking task: Some people think it is more fun to spend time with friends in restaurants or cafà ©s. Others think it is more fun to spend time with friends at home. Which do you think is better? Explain why. Integrated speaking tasks are based on a passage and/or a recording. You’ll read and/or listen and then answer a question. The question might ask you to summarize the selection or suggest solutions to a featured problem. For your first two integrated speaking tasks, you’ll have 45 seconds to speak and 30 seconds to prepare. For your next two integrated speaking tasks, you’ll get 60 seconds to speak and just 20 seconds to prepare. The following example is based on both a short passage and a listening task about a student association and its purchase of a new sound system. Integrated speaking task: The man expresses his opinion of the Student Association’s recent purchase. State his opinion and explain the reasons he gives for holding that opinion. Your responses should be structured and thoughtful, almost like giving an oral essay. As for written essays, they’ll be your task in the next and final section of the TOEFL, the Writing section. The TOEFL Writing section ties several skills together, including writing, reading, and listening. TOEFL Writing This last section on the TOEFL shares some similarities with the Speaking section, in that it presents you with an integrated writing task and an independent writing task. The integrated task asks you to read a passage and listen to a lecture or conversation. Then you’ll get 20 minutes to summarize the two selections and perhaps compare and contrast them. Here’s an example of an integrated task that refers to a lecture and a reading passage. Integrated writing task: Summarize the points made in the lecture, being sure to explain how they oppose specific points made in the reading passage. The independent task asks you to present your opinion and support it with examples. You’ll get 30 minutes to write your response. Here’s a typical example of an independent task in the Writing section. Independent writing task: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A teacher’s ability to relate well with students is more important than excellent knowledge of the subject being taught. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer. You’ll seea word counter beneath each text box that tells you how many words you’ve written. Your responses will be graded on organization, grammar, usage, and accuracy. This section, along with the others, is challenging, even for students with an advanced grasp of or even fluency in English. Like the ACT and any other college admissions test, the TOEFL calls for a lot of preparation to do well. To help you start planning your approach, let’s go over some strategies for prepping for the TOEFL. Prepping for the TOEFL First and foremost, the TOEFL requires a certain level of English. Testmakers suggest that you’ve studied English for at least two years before taking the test. Even if you’re fluent, you should still take time to prep for this unusual test. You can use TOEFL books, as well as online sample questions from the test-makers. To improve your reading comprehension skills, try reading passages from college-level textbooks. A lot of students particularly have a tough time with the Speaking section, which asks you to give structured responses in 45 to 60 seconds. As you practice for this section, check out the rubric and evaluate your efforts. You should give yourself plenty of time to prepare, starting perhaps at least three months before your test date. You might start even earlier to give yourself additional test dates in case you want to retake the TOEFL to improve your scores. As you prep, take timed practice tests under simulated testing conditions to measure your progress. Analyze your results to figure out your strong points and weak areas and learn how to improve. At the same time as you prep for the TOEFL, you may also be studying for the ACT. While there’s some overlap between the TOEFL and the verbal sections of the ACT, the two tests still require their own approach, as you’ll see below. Before discussing some ACT study strategies, let’s go over the structure and content of the test. While the TOEFL tests your English language skills, the ACT brings other subjects into play, like math and science. ACT: Structure, Content, and Prep While the TOEFL is a test of your English language skills, the ACT is more geared toward academic skills and college readiness. It has two verbal sections, the Reading and English, but it additionally has a math and a science section. The ACT has had increasing popularity with international students in recent years largely because of its Science section. The SAT tends to be more verbal, so many non-native English speakers appreciate the ACT’s emphasis on math and science. Below you’ll find the full structure of the ACT. ACT Structure The ACT has four main sections, English, Math, Reading, and Science, in that order. It also features an optional fifth section, Writing, that asks students to write an essay. Each section is scored between 1 and 36, and your total score that takes into account all the sections will also range between 1 and 36. The chart below shows the structure of the entire test and number of questions in each section: Order Section Time in Minutes # of Questions 1 Reading 65 52 2 Writing and Language 35 44 3 Math No Calculator 25 20 4 Math Calculator 55 38 5 Essay (optional) 50 1 Total: 3 hours, 50 minutes (3 hours without essay) 154 (+ 1 essay prompt) Now that you know the overall format of the ACT, let’s take a closer look at each section of the test. ACT Content The test has four or five main sections, depending on whether or not you take the ACT with Writing. Your decision about whether to include the Writing section should mainly be based on colleges’ requirements. If you’re not sure what colleges you’re applying to, you might as well include the Writing section so you don’t prematurely limit your options. Unlike the TOEFL, the ACT is a paper-based test. There aren’t any options to take it on the computer. Your first section will be English, so let’s take a closer look at the skills it tests and question types. ACT English The ACT English section will give you five passages alongside multiple choice questions. These questions test your understanding of English grammar and usage. They might test grammar rules like parallel structure or verb tense, along with your understanding of punctuation, word choice, paragraph structure, or rearranging sentences and paragraphs for the best organization. All of the questions are passage-based and in context. You won’t be asked explicitly about a grammar rule, but rather asked to demonstrate your understanding by fixing an error in the passage. Here’s an example taken from an official ACT practice test. The questions above ask about word choice, usage, commas, and verb tense. Note that questions give you the option of No Change, as not all of the selections will actually contain an error. After showing your grammar skills, you’ll move onto math. Hopefully, you've been paying attention in math class! The ACT tests geometry, algebra, and trigonometry. ACT Math ACT Math is a time-intensive section, asking you 60 questions in 60 minutes. Math questions ask about pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, complex numbers, and data analysis. You won’t get any formulas, so you’ll have to show up with a working knowledge of any formulas you might need. Here are a few examples of ACT math problems: As you can see, some of these questions are word problems, meaning that your English reading comprehension skills will need to come into play. It’s a good warm-up for the next section, which is all about your reading comprehension. ACT Reading The ACT Reading section will give you four passages, one of which may involve a set of paired passages, followed by ten questions each. The passages will be taken from prose fiction, social science, humanities, and natural science. The prose fiction passage, by the way, is unique to the ACT; you won’t get any prose on the TOEFL. The multiple choice questions might ask about main idea, details, vocabulary, function, development, or inferences. Here are a few example questions that are based on a preceding passage. This section requires you to comprehend the passage in a detailed way while also reading quickly under time constraints. After Reading, you’ll move onto ACT Science. The Science section is actually more similar to the Reading section than you might think. Read on to learn about their similarities. ACT Science You don’t have to show up to the ACT with a lot of scientific knowledge. This section is more about testing your scientific skills. Rather than demonstrating preexisting knowledge, you’ll have to show that you can read scientific passages, interpret data from graphics, and evaluate experimental designs. So how is this Science section similar to Reading? It will give you seven passages, and you’ll be asked to interpret them and make predictions. Three of the passages involve data representation, three are research summaries, and one presents conflicting viewpoints. You’ll interpret graphs and data trends, compare scientific opinions, and evaluate the design of experiments. In the example below, the questions ask you to read selections, interpret hypotheses, and represent information in a graph. The various excerpts and graphs in the ACT Science section may be related to biology, earth science, chemistry, physics, or basic math. After the Science section, you might be all done with the ACT. If you registered for the ACT with Writing, though, then you have one last section to complete. The optional ACT Writing section asks you to write an essay in 40 minutes. ACT Writing (Optional) As you read above, the TOEFL Writing section asks you to complete two writing tasks. In ACT Writing, you’ll just write one essay, and you’ll have 40 minutes to do so. Your writing prompt will ask you to evaluate multiple perspectives on an issue and present your own stance. You’ll support your opinion with examples. Here’s an example of an ACT Writing prompt that’s based on a short passage and three different perspectives about public health. Essay task:Write a unified, coherent essay in which you evaluate multiple perspectives on the conflict between public health and individual freedom. In your essay, be sure to Analyze and evaluate the perspectives given State and develop your own perspective on the issue Explain the relationship between your perspective and those given Your perspective may be in full agreement with any of the others, in partial agreement, or wholly different. Whatever the case, support your ideas with logical reasoning and detailed, persuasive examples. As with your TOEFL Speaking and Writing tasks, you can study the rubric that graders use to score your ACT essay. Read on for a few other strategies for preparing for the ACT. Prepping for the ACT As with the TOEFL, you should start prepping at least threemonths before the ACT. If you take it early, then you’ll have extra test dates in case you want to improve your scores. Your first step in preparing for the ACT should be learning all about the structure and content of the test in detail.Then you might takea diagnostic practice test to measure your starting level. Analyze your results and figure out which sections, question types, and concepts you should study most to improve. Like the TOEFL, the ACT requires a strong working knowledge of English. It also tests your math and science skills. Make sure that you use high-quality, ACT-specific materials that break down each and every concept you need to know. In addition to setting your own personal goals, you should also research colleges to figure out what scores they expect from applicants. While colleges don’t usually have a cutoff ACT score, the way they do with the TOEFL, they do publicize the average ACT scores of accepted students. In closing, let’s review the main similarities and differences of these two admission tests, the TOEFL and the ACT. TOEFL and ACT: Similarities and Differences The TOEFL and ACT are largely different tests, with the TOEFL meant to test your English language level and the ACT focused on reasoning and problem-solving skills. One especially big difference is that the ACT has a math and science section, while the TOEFL is completely focused on English language. The tests do have some overlap, especially between the TOEFL Reading section and ACT Reading and English section. Because the ACT verbal sections require a strong level of English, some colleges will waive the TOEFL requirement with high ACT verbal scores. Unlike the TOEFL, the ACT has a math and science section that requires you to manipulate numbers and interpret data. Both tests require you to have a strong grasp of the English language, whether you’re recording an oral essay during the TOEFL Speaking section or interpreting a scientific passage on the ACT Science. As timed tests, both also require you to practice time management strategies and your ability to work efficiently under pressure. Before you start exploring prep materials to learn more about both tests, let’s review the main points you should remember about the ACT and the TOEFL. If your sights are set on a U.S. college, then you'll need to take the TOEFL and ACT to get there. ACT and TOEFL: Key Points Most U.S. colleges require the ACT (or SAT) from all applicants. Non-native English speakers must additionally take the TOEFL (or IELTS) to demonstrate their English language skills. These tests are meant to show that the applicant has the language and academic skills to succeed in college-level classes. Before you start signing up for any tests, make sure to research college requirements. Every college sets its own policy, and there are some that will waive the TOEFL with a high ACT verbal score. At the same time, your college planning might not line up exactly with your test prep. You should start prepping early, like in 10th grade, to leave yourself plenty of time to improve and take the test again if necessary. At this point, you might not know exactly what colleges you want to apply to. If you’re set on studying in the US, then it’s a good idea to take these admissions tests so you don’t limit your options. For the most part, it’s safe to assume that colleges want you to send TOEFL and ACT scores with your application. Start early, study smart, and work toward achieving your target TOEFL and ACT scores. Then you’ll be able to apply to any college you want! What’s Next? Are you an international student preparing for the ACT or SAT? Check out our guide for international students taking either of these admissions tests. You can also find the full list of international test dates here! Is the ACT your admissions test of choice? To help you prepare, we’ve put together comprehensive study guides for each section of the ACT. Check out our study guides for ACT English, ACT Math, ACT Reading, ACT Science, and ACT Writing! Are you figuring out where to apply? This in-depth guide will help you choose colleges for your college list. Want to improve your ACT score by 4+ points? Download our free guide to the top 5 strategies you need in your prep to improve your ACT score dramatically. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Rebecca Safier About the Author Rebecca graduated with her Master's in Adolescent Counseling from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She has years of teaching and college counseling experience and is passionate about helping students achieve their goals and improve their well-being. She graduated magna cum laude from Tufts University and scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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Impact of Culture on Business Management Japan Essay

Impact of Culture on Business Management Japan - Essay Example Japan is an economic super power nonetheless so one needs to look beneath the surface and see why their productivity is highest in the world and how they are able to flex their economic muscles so well despite being such a tiny nation. Japan is an Island country separated from rest of Asia which enabled it to develop a unique culture quite different even from China form which it has borrowed heavily. This culture can be defined in nutshell as closely knit (team spirit), (elders), sincerity towards work, networking (trust only in known names) and deferring to seniority. Team spirit is the guiding force in all facets, from the family to all rungs of the corporate ladder even politics. Goel observes that to get ahead one has to get along. A nail that sticks out gets pounded down is an oft repeated saying in Japan. The group is more important than an individual; individuals are defined by the group. ( http://www. uwf.edu/ lgoel/documents/ AObservationsonJapanese Culture Pol . pdf). They are taught to be considerate to others feelings and take lot of care to make all around them comfortable. They take their work very seriously. Punctuality in starting work and formal atmosphere is the norm everywhere. It is rare to hear laughter or see backslapping except during breaks. Working late is a routine which many a times is not even reported or paid for. With computerization most of them carry work home almost everyday. Loyalty and fidelity towards the employer is taken for granted and it is common for them to work for the same firm for their entire life. They do not like to deal with complete strangers so usually shokai-sha (introducer) is the go between. Thus having a known person for introduction goes a long way in trust building. They place high value on seniority, more senior the introducer better impact it carries. Shokai-sha is even present during the contract signing ceremony. Business Communication and Management Style- Both the countries have totally different business communication and management styles which are the result of their opposing cultures and work habits. Japanese mistrust of strangers shows in the number of questions and take time taken to reach a decision. It is important to remember that to get them to compromise one has to show willingness to compromise too. Politeness is never abandoned; harmony is never threatened even in case if something disagreeable needs to be communicated, silence reigns and a lot of pondering is done for a long time. Usually the subject gets changed and diverted to trivial social chit chat. Decisions are reached only after consensus has been reached amongst all the team members so they like to break meetings to have private words with each other. Patience needs to be cultivated for interacting with the Japanese. Business structures in Japan like in other walks of life like political, academic and religious spheres is like that of the parent and child. In this the superior (parent) takes care of the subordinate, who is supposed to be obliged and repay it. Corporations often pay for personal needs like housing, excursions, outdoor activities of their employees and their families in return for life long employment. They don't like to break harmony or say no on the face directly for the fear of humiliating the other person, so they come across as "reserved, cautious,

Prompt. Bridging the gap Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Prompt. Bridging the gap - Essay Example fluenced significant transformations in ways of life and in validating that this unifying force confirms universality of responsibility with one another. In the United States, a country known to have espoused diversity in culture, a quick research on the predominant religion in the country revealed that Christianity still prevails with 78.4% of the respondents acknowledging their religious affiliations (The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life). More interesting, the religious affiliations of members of the United States congress have been disclosed that more than half are Protestants with the rest being diversely affiliated to other religions and only 5 out of 435 members not specifying any religious membership (The Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life). In this regard, one strongly believes that religion plays a crucial factor in influencing diplomatic policies and in facilitating resolution of political conflicts within the local and international sphere. When government leaders have signified and acknowledged affiliations to religious groups, as verified and attested within the chambers of the 111th congress, decisions regarding foreign policies, resolution of conflicts, and guiding principles towards governance are most likely to be defined and influenced by the religious teachings and traditions that are imbibed. For example, as cited by Albright, during her 1981 visit in Poland, significant changes were observed regarding the form of government until such time that Pope John Paul’s visit influenced the people to boldly profess their Catholic faith and openly express their intent to be liberated from the bonds of communism. Despite the government’s declaration that Pope John Paul was to be regarded an enemy of the state due to the convictions and threats posed by his teachings, the firm belief and adherence to faith exemplified by the greater majority, remarkably led to the liberate Poland, â€Å"brought down the Be rlin Wall, reunited Europe, and transformed

Alternative Dispute Resolution - Arbitration & Mediation Essay

Alternative Dispute Resolution - Arbitration & Mediation - Essay Example Independence is the lack of any level of association involving the party or parties and the arbitrator or association involving the object of misunderstanding and the arbitrator that would make it unsuitable or the arbitrator to arbitrate among the parties to the dispute. This definition of independence, therefore, is two fold: the lack of a set approach in respect-involved issue by the arbitrator and the lack of any individual association with the parties to the dispute. The impartiality and independence of arbitrators needs safeguarding since the process maybe used to delay justice. Justice McCarthy in R v Sussex stated that justice should be done and seen as done. There exist test to determine the existence or non-existence of bias in an arbitration process. The first test is whether, in the initial point, there was the risk bias and second if, a reasonable individual would have suspected bias in the situation. The enactment of the Human Rights Act of 1998 done in the United Kingd om and it came into operation on October 2000. The intention of the Act was to give an effect to the containment of rights in the European Convention of Human Rights. The sixth article of the act provides that everybody be entitled to a just hearing by an impartial and independent body recognized by law. Accordingly, The court in its decision in Medicaments and Related Classes of Goods, Re, decided one month afterward, took into consideration the Strasbourg jurisprudence in the determination of independence and impartiality of a body. It came into the conclusion that the test in Gough was no longer suitable because it laid emphasis on the view of the court in relation to the facts. The Court of Appeal made a suggestion of a modest modification to the test established in Gough. The applicable test was if the ascertained circumstances by the court would result in a knowledgeable and fair-minded observer to reach a conclusion concerning the real possibility of a biased tribunal. The En glish Arbitration Act inquires if the conditions in the situation may give lead to reasonable doubt concerning the independence or impartiality of the arbitrator. The IBA guidelines on conflicts of interest in international arbitration meant to make a clear assessment of impartiality and independence by the provision of a meticulous guidance on application of the same in practice. In this regard, there are three lists devised to achieve the purpose, which are the, orange, the green and the red lists. The lists try to try to mark general circumstances where bias suspected in harmony with their relative potentiality to give rise to reasonable doubts concerning the arbitrator’s independence and impartiality. In that, view the red list comprises of adverse occasions of challenges faced. The red list has two sections the situations that can be waived and those that cannot be waived. If the situation of a case falls within the situation that cannot be waived on the red list, the pa rties involved do not posses the independence to relinquish their opposition to the impartiality. The situation is so since in some circumstances, the interest of the public necessitate that proceedings of the arbitration halted notwithstanding non-objection of the parties. The position is like the circumstances, which give rise to automatic prohibition under the prevailing English law. The part that has the

Literature Review Of Women Suffering From Multiple Sclerosis Nursing Essay

Literature Review Of Women Suffering From Multiple Sclerosis Nursing Essay The focus of this study will be the lived experience of women suffering from Multiple Sclerosis and their ability to maintain a quality of life through various coping strategies. Therefore, literature surrounding the quality of life and coping mechanisms in MS sufferers will be critically appraised. A literature review was performed to identify published material relating to the lived experience of women suffering with MS with the main focus being on how women cope with the challenges that MS brings everyday and how they try and maintain a quality of life. This was done to introduce the topic of interest. When conducting the research there was little research into this area but the search was limited to health and social care databases such as CINALH, Internurse, Science direct, Pubmed and the library catalogue. The key words that were initially used in the literature search were lived experience, multiple sclerosis, women and quality of life and coping mechanisms, however this revealed little research so key words such as fatigue, education and depression were included. 2.1 Emotional Responses in Multiple Sclerosis 2.1.1 Uncertainty Uncertainty is one of the first stresses that MS places on women. First there is uncertainty until the diagnosis has been confirmed. Having MS means living with uncertainty and adapting to changing situations with the course of MS. Being unpredictable posses an emotional challenge to build a sense of stability and security in the face of uncertainty (Halper Holland, 1997). Millerà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s (1997) phenomenological study emphasized the primary role of uncertainty in the lived experiences of patients with relapsing MS. The participants in this study are described as living one day at a time, not knowing how they will feel tomorrow, leading to negative effects on employment, family life and coping abilities. It was also evident that fear and loss of control in daily life were also experienced due the unpredictability of relapsing MS. Olsson, Lexell Soderberg (2007) conducted a qualitative in order to describe the meaning of womenà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s experience of living with MS. The study consisted of 10 women with secondary progressive MS and the fact that daily life was influenced by MS. Women spoke about their daily lifeà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s, their experience of symptoms and their thoughts about their illness. They described that they were no longer in charge over their body and this had a great impact on their quality of life, however, women were found to actively strive to maintain strength and power to carry on to protect their dignity. This study showed that people with the progressive form of the disease appeared to cope better and were determined to improve their quality of life despite the effects of the illness, this could be due to them accepting MS as part of their life. 2.1.2 Hope Hope relates to those things that can be realistically achieved (Pinson, Ottens Fisher, 2009). This implies that the individual has devised a plan that has the likelihood of being carried out to achieve resolution of a problem. Miller (1997) found that hope provided a means for dealing with the uncertainty of MS. In a quantitative study carried out by Goretti, Pataccio, Zipoli, Hakiki, Siracusa, Sori and Amato (2009) they found that women tend to have higher levels of hope and optimism when facing the disease at early stages. Their study looked at the psychological features of depression, fatigue and anxiety, coping strategies and their influence on quality of life in people suffering from remitting relapsing MS. , furthermore, a qualitative study by Pinson et al (2009) found that hope was present as a coping resource. Also, hope seems to interact with psychosocial resources such as self-esteem, hope has often been related to higher levels of self-esteem and evidence of better socia l support. However, Pinson et al (2009) study only focused on people with a progressive form of MS and who did not suffer with depression. Depression itself can have a significant affect on a individuals self-esteem, if a MS sufferer as lowered self esteem due to depression then their coping mechanisms will be compromised and this will contribute to a lower quality of life perception ( Murphy, 1998). 2.2 Information and education Multiple Sclerosis considerably changes peoples every day life and the power and capacity to meet personal expectations (Yorkson, Klasner Swanson, 2001). Toombs (1995) stated that living with MS implies insecurity on a daily basis as their body can not be taken for granted or trusted, instead, it demands constant attention. To manage every day life, people with MS find it urgent to prioritise their personal goals and the search for information and knowledge regarding the disease has been described as crucial in maintaining control. A qualitative study carried out by Fleming Courts, Buchanan and Werstlein (2004) investigated the lived experience of people with MS and examined their needs from their perspectives using two focus groups consisting of 4 men and 6 women, they found that education is power and having education about the disease helps whose in maintaining a quality of life, without knowledge, information and education from health care professionals about the disease, its sy mptoms and what support is available then coping with daily activities will be compromised and a good quality of life will not be achievable. Miller (1997) and Pinson (DATE) are supportive of this but conclude that people with MS need information to deal with the uncertainty and the unpredictability of the disease in order to remain in control of their lifeà ¢Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ã‚ ¬Ãƒ ¢Ã¢â‚¬Å¾Ã‚ ¢s. 2.3 Coping Coping is an abstract concept that refers to how individuals make meaning and values and can be see as a way of problem solving. Psychological as proved to be crucially important for adjusting to the adaptive demands of the chronic illness and in the past few years as received a growing interest in MS. A study conducted by McCabe, Stokes and McDonald (2009) evaluated the relationship between quality of life and coping among people with MS over a 2 year period using a longitudinal approach. The sample consisted of 144 men and 238 women. The World Health Organisation quality of life scale was used to assess participants overall quality of life. They found that people with MS experienced lower levels of quality for independence, social, environmental and spiritual quality of life but experienced a higher psychological quality of life and focused on positive coping compared to the general population, these findings may suggest that although people with MS have lower levels of quality of life in many areas, they may be more accepting of the situation and knowing that their condition is going to change. However, in a quantitative carried out by Goretti et al (2009) found that MS patients were less likely to use positive and problem focused strategies and often adopted avoiding strategies more frequently, it was also found that younger patients with relapsing remitting MS were less disabled so therefore the disease had a lower impact on their quality of life, also, positive attitude and planning activity strategies were less likely to be adopted by patients with lower disease duration. They tended to have higher levels of hope and optimism when facing the disease at its early stages. Those who adopted avoiding strategies were more likely to experience depression and anxiety that contributed to their overall quality of life. The results finish later, re word !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 2.4 Support Pinson et al found that knowing family and friends would provide support either emotional or physical was very important to the participants. This support system appears to act as an anchor for these women if situations became difficult. McCabe also found that when people were more accepting of the situation, there was an increased need for social and emotional support., they also found that women with MS compared to men were more likely to seek social support, but more likely to wish that things were different. This is also supported by Olsson and Goretti. However, Olsson (2008) also found that accepting needing support from family led to feelings of guilt and failure as they felt that the whole family was suffering too. They also described being dependant on others when performing daily tasks that they wished to have done themselves. To engage in daily life was crucial in maintaining a good quality of life. This study only focused on women with the progressive form of MS, so are more likely to have more disabilities. McCabe states that increased needs may lead them to seek and obtain more social support and rely more on friend, family and community assistance (Murphy, 1998). Although support is

Dieting :: Vegan Health Food Diet Essays

As we begin our journey into the twenty-first century, society has turned to the Internet to find out what is going on with the world. With society searching for all the answers on their computers, we may soon be finding solutions to what and how we should be eating. Often, the articles read may be misleading and do not cover both sides of the issue. In recent years, several dietary movements have arisen from the objection to the inhumane treatment of animals. Medical evidence has linked these diets to many health benefits and risks. Dieting and the types of food that we consume have been shown to affect our lives in ways that we have been unaware of, such as cholesterol levels, heart disease, and colon cancer. These types of diseases in western societies are results of excess, rather than of deficiency. According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarians have a lower risk for these diseases (http://envirolink.org/arrs/vo/ArgumentMedical.html). With medical arguments in favor of cutting meat out of one's diet, a more extreme vegetarian diet has gained attention. A vegan diet is considered a strict type of vegetarianism. In this article, I will define veganism and also outline the beneficial qualities and concerns of following this type of diet as research has shown. What is Veganism? Veganism is the strict following of a vegetarian diet in which no animal products are consumed. This diet excludes any meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products. Many vegans must take supplements to obtain the vitamins and minerals needed for one's health, which are missing from diet alone. Being vegan is not only following a scheduled diet, but also a complete lifestyle. The "perfect vegan" bans any type of animal products such as leather and animal-tested cosmetics from their life. Veganism has its origins in the inhumane treatment of animals. Many vegans have done research into the livestock business and have found disturbing results. By witnessing institutionalized cruelty, vegans support their plight with this documentation and work together to promote their cause. Many vegans feel that it is not only a diet, but the embodiment of ahimsa-- the philosophy of non-violence towards and all-encompassing respect for all sentient beings (http://envirolink.org/arrs/vo/BeingVegan.html). Vegans are also concerned with the environment. A report issued by the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Interior says that 1/3 of all raw materials consumed in the U.S. are involved in the production of our animal-based foods, as is over half of the water (http://envirolink. Dieting :: Vegan Health Food Diet Essays As we begin our journey into the twenty-first century, society has turned to the Internet to find out what is going on with the world. With society searching for all the answers on their computers, we may soon be finding solutions to what and how we should be eating. Often, the articles read may be misleading and do not cover both sides of the issue. In recent years, several dietary movements have arisen from the objection to the inhumane treatment of animals. Medical evidence has linked these diets to many health benefits and risks. Dieting and the types of food that we consume have been shown to affect our lives in ways that we have been unaware of, such as cholesterol levels, heart disease, and colon cancer. These types of diseases in western societies are results of excess, rather than of deficiency. According to the American Dietetic Association, vegetarians have a lower risk for these diseases (http://envirolink.org/arrs/vo/ArgumentMedical.html). With medical arguments in favor of cutting meat out of one's diet, a more extreme vegetarian diet has gained attention. A vegan diet is considered a strict type of vegetarianism. In this article, I will define veganism and also outline the beneficial qualities and concerns of following this type of diet as research has shown. What is Veganism? Veganism is the strict following of a vegetarian diet in which no animal products are consumed. This diet excludes any meat, fish, eggs, or dairy products. Many vegans must take supplements to obtain the vitamins and minerals needed for one's health, which are missing from diet alone. Being vegan is not only following a scheduled diet, but also a complete lifestyle. The "perfect vegan" bans any type of animal products such as leather and animal-tested cosmetics from their life. Veganism has its origins in the inhumane treatment of animals. Many vegans have done research into the livestock business and have found disturbing results. By witnessing institutionalized cruelty, vegans support their plight with this documentation and work together to promote their cause. Many vegans feel that it is not only a diet, but the embodiment of ahimsa-- the philosophy of non-violence towards and all-encompassing respect for all sentient beings (http://envirolink.org/arrs/vo/BeingVegan.html). Vegans are also concerned with the environment. A report issued by the U.S. Departments of Commerce and Interior says that 1/3 of all raw materials consumed in the U.S. are involved in the production of our animal-based foods, as is over half of the water (http://envirolink.